


Two Ships

by HeyGoodLookin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Did I mention drama, Drama, Gen, Lots of drama, Next Gen, Romance, Wow, holymoly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-02-04 12:57:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18604969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeyGoodLookin/pseuds/HeyGoodLookin
Summary: Everyone always talks about Teddy and Victoire. But what if things went slightly different than expected?Join Teddy and his new friends as they navigate coming of age and growing up.Love, as it turns out, isn't as easy as they thought it would be.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey!!! My first attempt at a Harry Potter fanfic that isn't a random one-shot. I may or may not continue this so I'd love some feed back and comments on this so I can figure out how to proceed.   
> Let me know what y'all think!  
> Thanks SO MUCH :)

 

Year One, part one.

 

Teddy stared out the window as the train began to leave the platform. His Gran was wiping tears away, enormously proud that her grandson was turning into such a fine young man, even though she knew in her heart of hearts, that Teddy would turn his hair back to turquoise the second she couldn’t see him anymore. The train sped up slightly and Teddy saw his Uncle Harry smiling proudly as Victoire waved enthusiastically. He waved back, grinning as Uncle George shouted something about Hogwarts toilet seats. And then, from one second to the next, they faded into the distance.

Wriggling his ears and scrunching his nose slightly, Teddy turned his hair back to his favourite shade of blue as he trudged along trying to find a compartment that wasn’t already full. As he walked, a thousand and one thoughts whizzed around in his head. The first and strongest emotion was uneasiness. Part of it, he knew was his tendency to be homesick, but most of it was due to nerves. This was the first time he’d ever done something truly alone. He’d always had his Gran or Harry or even Victoire tagging along with him. Dragging his belongings along behind him, Teddy tried to ease his mind with what Harry had told him. He’d make friends. It was easy for him to make friends. _You’re such an outgoing guy, Ted, you’ll make friends so easily,_ Harry had assured him the night before. _Just be yourself,_ Aunt Ginny had told him, _we’re all so proud of you._

But what if he didn’t? Teddy couldn’t help but think this. He was an orphan, part werewolf, and a raging Metamorphmagus. The last part Teddy didn’t mind much at all, but it was the other parts that worried him. Sure Harry was an orphan too, but he was Harry Potter. Teddy wasn’t sure if he could muster up the courage to tell anyone who he really was. Maybe he just wouldn’t. Maybe, for the time being, he could just be Teddy.

Finally, after practically resigning himself to sitting with two Hufflepuff fourth years reading Witch Weekly, he noticed an empty compartment. Well, an almost empty one. Someone was sitting close to the window, eyes practically fixating on the moving scenery. Teddy noted the oversized black sweater and cuffed blue jeans and assumed he would be sharing the compartment with another first year boy. The boy hugged his bag against himself and Teddy read the name A.J.Paker written in black marker on the side. It wasn’t until Teddy actually sat down that the student acknowledged his presence. Well, sort of. The boy turned his head ever-so-slightly (but not enough for Teddy to actually see his face), and Teddy flashed an encouraging smile.

“Hey…er… everyone else was full. Do you mind if I—“

“Yeah sure, whatever,” the boy responded curtly, and went back to staring out the window.

“Thanks,” Teddy shifted so he could fit his things into the compartment and in so doing, of course, managed to knock over one of the other first year’s bags. “Oh no!” Teddy exclaimed as a mess of muggle music CDs spilled all over the floor. “Sorry, I’m horribly clumsy! I’ll just—“

But Teddy’s words cut short when he looked up at the face of his traveling companion. The boy he thought was a boy was actually a girl.

“What?” She looked down at the boy scrambling to clean up the mess he’d made.

“Sorry,” he apologized again. “I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just…”

“What? It’s just what?” The girl crossed her arms over her chest.

“Well,” Teddy swallowed thickly. “You’re not what I expected.”

“That’s rich coming from a kid with orange hair.”

Teddy pinched his eyes shut in concentration. “It does that when I’m embarrassed,” he grimaced. “I’ve been trying to control it better, but it’s rubbish.”

“Okay,” the girl replied, handing Teddy a CD that had landed by the compartment door.

“I really am sorry,” Teddy tried to make eye contact with the girl. The hood of her sweater had fallen down from her head to reveal a head of short, wild blonde hair. “Your hair is cool too,” Teddy remarked with a smile.

“Okay,” the girl responded again.

“Seriously, I’m sorry. I really am horribly clumsy and I’ll try and find another compartment if you want to be alone because I totally get—“

“You sure talk a lot, don’t you?”

Teddy looked down, knowing full well his hair was morphing orange again. “I do that when I’m nervous.”

The girl smirked at this. “Okay.”

“Do you want me to go?”

The girl seemed to contemplate this for a moment. “No,” she responded, handing Teddy another CD.

“Cool,” Teddy smiled. “Wow, I love your collection. You’ve got great taste in music. My mu—“ Teddy stopped himself before he mentioned his mum. He didn’t want anyone to know about his parents yet. He didn’t want to be too different, too soon. “My family has a huge collection.”

“You like Led Zepplin?” the girl seemed genuinely shocked.

“Who doesn’t?” Teddy replied. “The best muggle band, bar none. I love Zepplin III.”

“No way,” the girl leaned back and put her feet up on her luggage. “Zepplin II is far superior.”

Teddy smiled at this. “At least I got you talking. I’m Teddy, by way. Teddy Lupin.” He extended a hand but was met with a cold glance and crossed arms. “Okay, no hand shake then.”

“Teddy Lupin,” the girl repeated. Teddy prepared himself for name recognition, but it didn’t come. “Cool name.”

“Thanks,” Teddy grinned. “What’s your name?”

“Alex,” the girl said. “Alex Parker.”

“That’s short for…?”

“Alexandra,” Alex practically flinched.

“I like Alex better,” Teddy said.

The corners of Alex’s mouth twitched into a small smile. “Thanks. I hate my real name.”

“Well Alex suits you better,” Teddy relaxed into his seat. “What does the J stand for?”

Alex rolled her eyes at this. “Bloody stupid if you ask me.”

“Oh…” Teddy observed how she retreated into herself.

“It’s Jane. I put A.J on my bag so it wouldn’t be so bad.”

“A.J Parker sounds cool. I still like Alex better though,” Teddy continued. “Say, do reckon you know what house you’re going to be in?”

“House?”

“Oh!” Teddy exclaimed. Now the muggle CD’s made sense. “You come from a muggle family?”

“Basically.”

“Right, well, when we get to Hogwarts, we’ll be sorted into different houses. That’s why some of the other students were wearing robes with different colour. Different colours belong to different houses. You get sorted into whichever house suits you best.”

“So it’s what, based on personality?” Alex frowned at this.

“Kind of,” Teddy tried to make eye contact with Alex again. He wanted to make her feel more at ease. He got the impression that his uneasiness was nothing in comparison to Alex’s. “I don’t know all that much. Practically everyone I know was in Gryffindor, so that could be me too, but my Gran was in Slytherin and my mum was in Hufflepuff so I could be anywhere really.”

“Okay.”

Teddy didn’t like how Alex was going back to responding with one word answers. Maybe he was going about this the wrong way. “All the houses are brilliant,” he tried. “Every house has it’s own unique strengths that set them apart.”

“Any house for social awkward weirdos?” Alex crossed her arms in front of her chest again.

Teddy couldn’t help but chuckle at this. “Do you like to read?”

Alex smiled slightly at this and nudged her elbow towards the bag beside her. It was full of not just first year text books but some slightly used second year ones as well. “You could say I like to read.”

“You could be in Ravenclaw then!” Teddy flashed Alex another smile. “A lot of really smart students are in that house.”

“What about the other ones?” Alex asked.

“Oh,” Teddy relaxed, pleased that Alex was speaking properly again. “So there’s Ravenclaw. And then there’s Gryffindor. That’s where practically my whole family belongs. They’re brave and really determined. Hufflepuff is meant for people who are kind and honest. It’s so much more than that, though. A lot of people say that if you want to be in a house, you’ll be sorted into it.”

“You missed one,” Alex frowned.

“What?”

“Slytha—something like that,” Alex tried to remember the word.

“Oh,” Teddy watched as a few students walked by. “Slytherin.”

“That’s the one. I heard some older kids bad mouth them.”

“They were probably Gryffindors,” Teddy commented. “Gryffindors and Slytherin’s still don’t really get along. Old habits die hard I suppose.”

“How do you mean?”

Teddy thought for a moment. He didn’t want to delve to far into the war for fear of revealing too much about himself. “A few years back there was a war and a lot of Slytherins got on the bad side. Not all Slytherins are bad though, it’s just that a lot of them used to be.”

“Oh.”

“So I think I lot of people still think they’re bad news.”

“Oh,” Alex said again.

“You’ll probably be in Ravenclaw though,” Teddy said brightly. “All the brightest witches and wizards usually are.”

“That would be cool,” Alex said.

Teddy noticed Alex look out the window again. “You don’t have to talk to me, you know.”

Alex looked back at the boy. “I don’t really mind. I’m just—“ she swallowed. “I’m just not used to it.”

“Oh,” this time Teddy didn’t know what to say.

“I know what we can do!” Alex reached into her pocket to retrieve a muggle music device. “Take one?” She handed Teddy a headphone.

“Wicked,” Teddy smiled. “I use my mum’s old one, but yours is way cooler.”

Alex only smiled at this and moved a few bags so Teddy could sit down next to her.

 

They spent the rest of the journey to Hogwarts like that. Listening to Alex’s music which Teddy soon learned, was strikingly similar in taste to his mother’s. It was heavy and rebellious, but effortlessly cool. It suited Alex incredibly well.

There was something different about Alex and Teddy couldn't quite put his finger on it. Victoire had always been his best friend and she was a girl, so Teddy naturally thought most girls were like her. Pretty, funny, and confident. Alex wasn't anything like that. It wasn't like she was an unattractive girl, and at 11, Teddy didn't quite understand what made a girl attractive anyway, but she wasn't exactly pretty like Victoire. She wasn't talkative and confident either.  Alex was reserved and tough.  It was like she acted a lot older than her age. Like she'd seen too much and the more Teddy observed her,  the more he understood her. If anyone knew what it felt like to be exposed to pain at a young age, it was him.

The train screeched to a halt as the castle came into view.

"Bloody hell," Alex exclaimed and Teddy chuckled for she sounded all the world like his uncle Ron.

"Wow," Teddy stared out the window as they gathered their things. "This is brilliant.”

“Somebody sent off a dung bomb in the corridor!” A voice called from a few compartments back. “So if you’re wondering what smell’s God awful, that’ll be it!”

There was a kind of shuffling and a curly haired boy appeared by their compartment door.

“Hey!” he grinned. “I’m Nathan Fitzgerald! It was my dung bomb, by the way. It fell out of my bag.”

“Hey,” Teddy chuckled. “I’m Teddy and this is Alex.”

“Hi,” Alex muttered, avoiding eye contact.

“Alex is a weird name for a girl,” Nathan said matter of factly.

“Okay,” Alex looked at her feet.

“Oh come on,” Nathan cried, reaching a hand out to pull down Alex’s hood. “I’m just teasing you.”

“Dont!” Alex jumped back as Nathan’s hand brushed her shoulder.

“Give her some space,” Teddy explained to Nathan under his breath.

“Alright then,” Nathan pulled his hand back.

“It’s alright, Alex,” Teddy turned to face the girl as they walked along the cramped corridor. “You can hold onto my robe if you need to.”

“I’m fine,” Alex said evenly.

They had almost made it to the boats without incident when two girls laughed in their direction.

“You can’t be serious,” one girl pointed at a slightly shaken Alex. “What a freak!”

“Oi!” Teddy’s hair flickered red at the tips. “Leave her be.”

“Is she even a girl?” the other girl asked with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I am,” Alex glared at the two girls. She strode forward a few steps, leaving her things with Teddy and Nathan, and before either of them could think of how to react, she swung her arm back and made to punch one of the girls. Teddy’s eyes widened in alarm when Alex’s fist stopped short a mere millimetre away from the girls’ nose. “Leave me alone.”

“S—sorry,” the girl stuttered, clearly mortified.

“You say so much as one unkind word to me or my friend and I’ll break your nose.”

“Y—yes.”

“Brilliant,” Alex smirked and strode back to where Teddy and Nathan were standing with their mouths open. Hagrid showed them onto the boats as Teddy observed Alex retreat back into herself.

“So… friend huh?”

“What?” Alex looked at Teddy as the boat began to move.

“You think I’m your friend?”

“I mean…” Alex hesitated for a moment. “I’d understand if you don’t want to be.”

“That’s rubbish,” Teddy said confidently. “I totally want to be your friend.”

“So long as you don’t punch me, you can be my friend too,” Nathan grinned.

Alex’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t like how loud Nathan was. “Don’t push your luck.”

 

It wasn’t long before the three comrades found themselves standing among a sea of other first years in the great hall. Professor Mcgonagall began to call out names and slowly, the number of first years standing unsorted became less and less.

“Parker, Alexandra!” Professor Mcgonagall called. Alex muttered something under hear breath and ran a hand through her hair. Teddy could hear some of the comments circulating around as Alex took her first few steps forward.

“ _She doesn’t even look like a girl.”_

_“What a weirdo.”_

_“How old are those robes?”_

And one particular comment that made Teddy’s hair stand on end: “ _she doesn’t belong here.”_

“She is kind of strange,” Nathan said to Teddy. Alex brushed by them with clenched fists.

“We all are,” Teddy said loud enough that Alex could hear. He watched as she cast Nathan a glare before heading towards the hat.

Ravenclaw would be nice, Alex thought. She looked over at two girls who were giggling at her. She doubted they were any kind of intelligent. It was as Alex was thinking about all the ways she could outsmart and outwit them in classes, that the hat was placed on her head.

Teddy smiled up at her, beaming from ear to ear encouragingly. His enthusiasm was short lived though, as the hat was hardly upon Alex’s head when it shouted a triumphant “Slytherin!”

Teddy’s gaped, completely at a loss. Alex wasn’t a Slytherin. He’s so much at told her she wasn’t. And he’d been so sure. With her intelligence, it only made sense. Maybe the hat had made a mistake? Teddy tried to think of what to say as Alex stumbled down from the stage, her face hard and expressionless.

“Alex, I—“

“I guess a lot of people still think I’m bad news,” Alex said non-to-quietly as she passed Teddy and Nathan.

“I didn’t mean to—“

“Save it, Lupin. And you,” she glared at Nathan. “One more smart remark and I’ll shove my want right up your arse.”

“Bloody hell,” Nathan’s eyes widened.

Professor Mcgonagall was about to reprimand Alex, when she whipped around and joined the Slytherin table with a swish of her second hand robes. Teddy swallowed hard as he watched Alex sit down next to a Slytherin boy who seemed very happy to have her next to him. In fact, Teddy noticed, the entire table seemed to rejoice in their newest student.

“She’s a nutter, that one,” Nathan muttered to Teddy under his breath.

“You would be too if you had people judging you your entire life,” Teddy said back.

Nathan seemed taken aback, but continued non-the-less. “You can’t honestly think that was normal…?”

“I don’t really care if it was or wasn’t normal,” Teddy whispered as a girl was sorted into Ravenclaw. “I think you’re being a prat. Give her a chance.”

“I dunno…” Nathan hesitated. “You heard what she said to those girls back there.”

“Yeah, I also heard what they said to her.”

“Fair enough,” Nathan mumbled.

“Lupin, Teddy!” Professor Mcgonagall called. Teddy gulped nervously, but couldn’t help but grin when Nathan gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Teddy sat down and after smiling back at Nathan, locked eyes with Alex. She was watching intently and Teddy could have sworn he saw her mouth _it’s okay_ as the hat was placed on his head. It hummed for a moment, before bursting forth it’s decision.

“Gry—“ the hat paused mid-word. A moment suspended in mid air. Even Professor Mcgonagall seemed genuinely surprised. “Hufflepuff!” The hat cried.

Smiling, Teddy launched himself off the stool and over to the Hufflepuff table where another first year boy made room for him.

“Hi!” the boy said brightly. “I’m Tyler!”

“Hey,” Teddy replied with a smile.

“I don’t think the hat’s ever changed it’s mind before,” Tyler said. “Anyone else in your family a Hufflepuff? My mum and my dad are. And my gran was a Hufflepuff too!”

“Pretty much everybody in my family was sorted into Gryffindor,” Teddy explained. “Just my mum wasn’t. She was in Hufflepuff.”

“Well that makes sense then doesn’t it? You’re taking after your mum. She’ll be happy when you write her tonight!”

Teddy watched as Nathan was called onto the stage. “Yeah,” Teddy murmured. “She’ll be happy.”

To absolutely no one’s surprised, Nathan was sorted into Gryffindor. He waved happily to Teddy as he joined his house.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Tyler grabbed hold of a dinner role as food began to appear on the table. “That blonde friend of yours… Alexandra? She’s going to be the best beater Slytherin’s ever had.”

“It’s Alex,” Teddy corrected quietly. “And yeah, she’s going to be brilliant.”

 

The feast went on and Teddy soon learned more about Tyler. He was the third out of four children. His two brothers were already in Hufflepuff and one of them had formed a Wizard’s Chess Club. Teddy was happily surprised when he and Tyler found themselves sharing the same dormitory.

It wasn’t until Tyler had fallen asleep and all four beds’ curtains were drawn, that Teddy took out his paper.

 

Dear Vic,

I’ve been sorted into Hufflepuff!

Miss you so much already! But I’ve made two friends. Nathan is so funny and loud. He reminds me a lot of Uncle George and Uncle Ron. He’s a Gryffindor too. I made friends… well… I think have made friends… with a girl named Alex. I’ve never met anyone like her. She’s got shorter hair than Aunt Ginny and she almost punched a girl today because she made fun of her. My dorm mate’s name is Tyler and he seems nice. He talks a lot.

Wish you were here. You’d probably really like Alex.

Write back soon!

Teddy. xo

 


	2. Second Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooowww sorry for the HUGE delay with this chapter. I am continuing this, I promise!!   
> Please review and let me know what you think! Comments make me so very happy.  
> Anyway, onwards and upwards to DRAMA.

Second Year

 

It was the third week of October, when Teddy was getting back into the swing of things, that life took a sharp left turn. For the most part, Teddy believed in the good of people. He believed that Hogwarts was a place where people came together and where students who otherwise would be alienated, would feel welcome and appreciated. He certainly felt that. Alex, however, did not. She’d made friends with a few Slytherins that Teddy didn’t approve of, but for the most part Alex kept to herself. Despite being the brightest witch in her year, Alex preferred the company of Teddy to anyone else. And Teddy was absolutely fine with that. He’d become almost protective of her. Teddy made fast friends with Nathan who, as it turned out, wasn’t as obnoxious as he first thought. He was just proud and full of wide-eyed ambitious energy. In other words, a poster boy Gryffindor.

Alex, however, couldn’t stand Nathan. At least that’s what she claimed. Though Teddy was fairly certain that Alex was just being stubborn.

“He’s a complete prat,” Alex stuffed her books in her bag as they left potions class.

“You could at least try to be nice,” Teddy gave his friend a sideways glance.

“Yeah well he hasn’t even tried to apologize.”

Teddy rolled his eyes at this. “I don’t think he understands what he did wrong. Nathan just says what he thinks. That’s just the way he is!”

“And that’s exactly what I don’t like,” said Alex.

“He acts the same way around everybody,” Teddy tried. “Don’t think he treats you differently than he treats me or anyone else.”

“That still doesn’t mean I have to like him.”

“Could you at least try and—“

“Oi! Teddy!” Teddy was cut off by a shuffling of feet as Nathan forced his way through the hallway of students. “Teddy!”

“Hey,” Teddy smiled, greeting his slightly winded friend.

“Oh hey sunshine,” Nathan grinned down at Alex.

“Hello,” Alex muttered.

“Friendly as usual,” Nathan commented brightly, but continued before Alex could reply. “Quidditch try-outs are tomorrow.”

“You’ve told us before,” Teddy chuckled.

“Yeah, I know that, but I just thought I’d— you know— remind you and all that.”

“Uh-huh,” Alex muttered under her breath.

“Suppose you hate Quidditch then,” Nathan looked at Alex.

Alex smirked. “On the contrary, dear friend, I love it.”

“Any chance you’d be willing to switch allegiances?” Nathan tugged at Alex’s Slytherin scarf.

“Not a chance in hell. In fact, second years are allowed to try out for the team.”

“I know that,” Nathan smiled as if he’d already won. “I’m going for seeker. Last year was Phillip’s last year so the position will be open.”

“You’ve said that at least fifteen times this week,” Alex grit her teeth. “And it’s only Wednesday.”

“You’ll both be fantastic,” Teddy smiled, trying to break the tension.

Nathan smiled back. “Can’t believe you’re not trying out, Teddy. You could actually give Hufflepuff a leg up this year!”

“I told you, I’m going to try out until next year when I’ve got a better shot at keeper.”

“Whatever you say,” Nathan said.

The trio were silent for a moment before they heard a group of girls pass them, one of whom turned to Alex and laughed.

“Hey Parker,” the girl giggled. “Nice robes.”

Alex tensed as Teddy put a calming hand on her shoulder. “Get lost, moron,” she replied swiftly.

“Didn’t know robes came in extra large.”

The entire group of girls laughed at this.

“Alex could hex your arses into next week, so I’d shut it if I were you,” Nathan hissed to everyone’s surprise.

Alex stared at Nathan momentarily before turning back to the girls.

“Leave it,” Teddy murmured into her ear. “They’re not worth it.”

“Leave me and my friends alone,” Alex lowered her voice dangerously.

The girls raised their eyebrows at this and walked off.

“Alright?” Teddy glanced down at Alex.

“Fine,” she replied quickly.

“That was bang out of order,” said Nathan.

“I’m used to it,” said Alex. She ran a hand through her hair and turned her back to the two boys. “I’m going to study. I’ll see you lot later.”

“See you,” said Teddy.

Alex paused mid-stride. “Oh… and Nathan?”

“Yeah?” Nathan seemed surprised.

“Thanks.”

“No problem,” Nathan replied with a small smile, but Alex had already left.

“She’s not all bad,” Teddy looked at his friend. “She just tries to act tough.”

“I know,” Nathan nodded in understanding. “Listen Teddy, I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s about Alex,” Nathan lowered his voice. “I don’t want you to think I’m trying to get her into any trouble or anything, because I’m not. I just think it’s odd.”

“What is?” Teddy gripped his school bag slightly tighter.

Nathan checked to make sure nobody was within ear shot. “I saw Alex nicking stuff from the Professor Slughorne’s storage closet.”

“What? When?”

“Last week. And then again yesterday and today after potions.”

“Why would she be nicking school supplies?”

“Not school supplies,” Nathan leaned in closer to Teddy so he was sure no one would overhear. “They’re things from Slughorne’s private stash.”

“You mean she’s taking things that we’re not using in class?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would she need to do that?” Teddy asked.

“No idea,” Nathan said. “But I heard Slughorne talking to Professor Wilcox today. He knows some of his supplies are missing. I bet he’s going to bring it up in class today.”

“Oh Merlin,” Teddy sighed. “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I,” Nathan agreed. “But we need to talk to Alex about it and let her know that Slughorne knows.”

“No!” Teddy cried. “Alex… she’d be furious with us for interfering.”

“But she’s going to get found out unless we tip her off.”

“I’ll deal with it,” Teddy responded with confidence.

 

***

 

“It was me, sir,” the words left Teddy’s mouth before he could register he had said them.

“You?” Professor Slughorne turned to Teddy. “Why would you need extract of Black Widow Vine?”

“For…” Teddy thought frantically. “My own personal use.”

“And what would that be?”

“I’m conducting research, sir,” Teddy saw Alex shake her head vigorously, but continued anyway. “How herbology and potions are connected.”

“I see,” Professor Slughorne’s gaze shifted from Teddy to Alex and back to Teddy again. “You two see me after class.”

“Yes sir,” Alex muttered, casting a glare at Teddy and Nathan.

Before they knew it, the class had filed out, leaving Teddy and Alex standing in front of their Professor.

“Do you know what the exact use of Black Widow Vine is?” Professor Slughorne asked the pair.

“No, sir,” Teddy replied softly.

“As much as I admire your desire to help Ms. Parker,” Professor Slughorne glanced at Alex and then back to Teddy. “Now is not the time.”

“Yes, sir,” Teddy said.

“Black Widow Vine used to be found in every shop,” Professor Slughonre explained slowly. “Until it’s side affects were discovered. Black Widow Vine is a powerful hallucinogenic. It creates vivid dreams and was used, for the longest time, to combat insomnia. That is, until herbologists discovered it’s sometimes fatal outcome.”

“It can kill you?”

“If taken in large quantities or over a long period of time, yes. Which is why I must ask why a second year student would need Black Widow Vine. Because it’s other use is as a key ingredient in love potions and I somehow doubt you would want it for that purpose.”

“I…” Alex stared at the floor. “I had to do it.”

“Were you stealing this for someone else?” Professor Slughorne pressed.

Teddy watched as Alex wrapped her arms around herself and shook. “Hey,” he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay.”

“No it’s not,” Alex muttered. “How is this okay?”

“It will be if you explain your situation to me,” said Professor Slughorne softly. “I understand that your actions were not your intention but someone else’s demand. Am I correct?”

Alex nodded weakly. “Yes, sir.”

“Who are you sending this to?”

“My…” Alex hesitated. Teddy decided to take one of Alex’s hands in his own. “My father.”

“Your father,” Professor Slughorne repeated.

“Yes, sir. He asked me to send him as much as I could find. He can’t get it himself anymore.”

“Well, given his line of work, I can’t say I’m shocked,” said Professor Slughorne.

“I have to—“

“You have to nothing!” Teddy cried, suddenly feeling very protective again. His grip on her hand seemed to tighten at the thought of her having to do something that she so desperately didn’t want to do.

“Teddy,” Alex refused to make eye contact with her friend. 

“Mr. Lupin is quite right,” Professor Slughorne said firmly. “You have to do nothing. You are a _student._ And a very bright one at that. One of my very best. I will be in touch with your father to rectify this situation.”

“No, Professor! Please, please don’t say anything! Please! I…” Alex froze when she realized her outburst.

“Ms. Parker,” Professor Slughorne lowered his voice. “I assure you no harm will come to you. In any capacity. Hogwarts is safe.”

“And Aunt Ginny’s already taught me the bat boogie hex!” Teddy tried to smile reassuringly. The fear in Alex’s eyes was unlike anything he’d ever seen before. He couldn’t help but think about what his Professor had said. Hogwarts was safe, but it was Christmas soon and somehow Teddy knew that it wasn’t Hogwarts Alex was scared about. It was leaving Hogwarts.

Professor Slughorne ushered the pair out the door after giving Alex a small sleeping draught to help with her obvious anxiety. They found Nathan sitting alone in the joint common room with a Quidditch book. Teddy glanced at Alex quickly as they joined Nathan in front of the fireplace.

 

 

 

 

"If we're going to he friends..." Nathan looked at Alex and then at Teddy. "We need to be honest with each other. No more hiding secrets... and that goes for me too."

Teddy nodded slowly. "Okay," he leaned his back against the brick wall.

"Leave it to the Gryffindor to act all noble," Alex snapped. "I'm going to bed."

"Alex," Teddy grabbed hold of her arm.

"Don't!" She cried, jolting away from Teddy. "Don't touch me! Leave me alone!"

"Alex, please..." Teddy lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "We want to be your friends."

Alex stared down at the two boys. "No you don't. "

"Yeah we do," Nathan countered quickly.  "However messed up you think your family is, whatever baggage you think you have, I promise you you're not alone in it."

Teddy looked at his friend, clearly stunned. He wasn't used to Nathan being so sensitive.

“Leave me the hell alone Nathan. You know _nothing_ and me. You can’t even begin to understand.”

“Then help me to!”

“What are you, deaf as well as daft? Leave me alone!” Alex cried, leaving the room with a swish of her robes.

“Well that was a bit much,” Nathan muttered.

“She’s scared,” Teddy replied softly.

“Still,” Nathan closed his book. “I’m knackered. See you tomorrow, Ted. Don’t over-think it, mate. Sometimes I still think she’s just mental.”

“She’s not,” Teddy said quietly. “Night.”

 

***

 

Nathan had long fallen asleep when Alex found herself still awake. Tossing and turning in bed, she couldn’t seem to find rest. She grabbed the book from her bed side table and decided to read by the lake for a while. It wasn’t until she approached her favourite spot, that she was a familiar shade of blue hair.

“Can’t sleep huh?” She plopped herself down next to teddy. “I love coming out here. It’s one of the most peaceful places.” She paused for a moment, wrapping herself up in a blanket she’s brought along. “I’m sorry, by the way. I was bang out of order before. I’ll apologize to Nathan tomorrow. I know he was just trying to…help.”

"I wish I could make this better," Teddy breathed.

Alex brushed his comment aside with a flick of her wrist. "Don't worry about it, Lupin."

"You can stay with us over the Christmas holidays, you know that right? And summer hols... I'm sure you can stay with us. Between Gran and Mrs.Weasley I'm --"

"I don't want to be a charity case," Alex cut off Teddy's rambling.  "I have a home and a father and I can take care of him."

"You shouldn't be taking care of him," Teddy sighed, "he should be taking care of you."

"Sometimes the world doesn't work like that. There's a natural order of things, but sometimes that order gets shifted and messed up along the way."

Teddy looked at his friend and observed how old she seemed. So much older then her twelve years. "That doesn't make it right though," Teddy said quietly.

"It's life," Alex said.

"But it doesn't have to be like this."

"It's life, Lupin," Alex repeated. "It's not fare that your parents died. And yeah, I know about that. I figured it out last year already. I wish I could change that and give you your parents back."

"I know," Teddy looked out at the lake. "But there's a difference between what you're going through and what I'm going through.  My situation won't change, yours can."

Alex drew in a stuttering breath. "He's my dad... I can't leave him."

"Alex please..." Teddy felt close to tears. "Let me help you."

"You already have, Teddy. I haven't had a friend before."

"Alex..."

"Look Teddy," Alex cut off the boy's hesitation. "I appreciate it more than you can possibly know, but I need to deal with this on my own. My dad needs my help."

Teddy made to put his arm around Alex and was shocked when she didn't pull away. Instead her breathing seemed to calm and her body stopped trembling. "I just want to help you, Alex," he murmured.

"I know you do," the girl responded weakly.

"You'd tell me if you needed help, right?  You'd tell me if something happened or if you were hurt?" Teddy asked shakily, has grip tightening around her shoulders. He could feel her internal battle. He could literally feel how hard she was working at keeping her emotional at bay. Her body was tense from holding back tears.

"Yeah," Alex whispered.

Teddy glanced over at her and allowed a tear of his own to escape his eyes. He knew she was lying. 

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think??   
> Thoughts on Alex?   
> Thanks for reading! :)


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